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Part 8
By Ladyglen

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Forever. Finally. Mine! Filled with a sudden, intoxicating mixture of awe and triumph, Rowen explored the slick heat of his friend's mouth, his hands creeping up from his blanket to lift the hair from the nape of Sage's neck. Encouraged by the faintest of groans emanating from deep within Sage's chest, his grip firmed, fingers clenching about the thick strands of gold they were buried in. He needed this, needed the confirmation that a night so filled with grief and anger could end in bliss, needed the fulfillment of the promise this joining of lips seemed to hint at. He needed Sage.

Such a simple thing. A kiss was such a simple, physical act, and yet so powerful. Beneath the purely physical level, two souls are exchanged. The strength and ardor of Rowen's response drove the last of Sage's uncertainty and doubts from his mind. Freed from the self-imposed fetters of restraint, Sage's desire flared as brilliantly as Ryo's wildfire and, gasping, he tore his lips from Rowen's. It had been the realization of one of his most private dreams to feed from his archer's lips, yet he needed more. He needed to taste all of Rowen.

Tiny nips along Rowen's jawline, interspersed with gentle, warm swipes of a tongue, fanned the blaze that had been kindled by Sage's hungry, demanding lips. It was as if he were being devoured alive, consumed, absorbed. He would never be alone again. For all its headiness, that extraordinary thought was fleeting, swept away beneath the tide of sensation that was sensitizing each bit of Rowen's flesh.

With difficulty, Sage banked the fire burning within him as Rowen's head fell back under his ministrations. His lover's position was almost submissive, vaguely reminiscent of the way the beta wolf bares her throat in surrender to the alpha male of the pack. Wonder and elation that this strong, independent man would give so much of himself fought with a surge of dominant triumph deep within Sage. Rowen was his! All of Rowen was his for the taking, to do with as he pleased.

Sage slowly smiled. It would very much please him to bring pleasure and satisfaction to his partner. Nothing was more important. He pushed gently against Rowen's shoulders, encouraging his lover to lie back against the sheets, and as Rowen complied, he pushed aside the blankets that had been hiding Rowen's lower body. Sage hoped his smile conveyed that promise as he straddled his lover's hips, for words were beyond him.

Pale blue swam into focus as Rowen fought the delicious haze that moved through him and opened his eyes. Pale, heavy-lidded circles of blue, so often icy and remote, were now burning with a warmth that was only slightly tempered by the smiling lips beneath them. The gaze was nearly predatory in its intensity, yet rather than frightening, it was thrilling, its sultry heat radiating to burn the front of his body in sharp contrast to the coolness of the sheets at his back.

Shivering in anticipation, Rowen raised his chin and turned his head to one side in response to Sage's gentle nudge. He stiffened with a small cry, involuntarily thrusting his hips up against his lover's weight, as the series of gentle nips that descended his neck ended in a harder, sucking bite at the hollow of his throat.

Sage straightened, fingertips feathering down over the defined tendons in Rowen's neck until they met atop the purple-redness of the mark at the base of his archer's throat. Pressing slightly, he swirled his fingers in a circle before sweeping them outward over Rowen's collarbones to his shoulders. He gripped tightly, allowing his eyes to close and his head to fall back as he met another upward thrust of Rowen's hips with a downward one of his own. The unconscious sensuality of man beneath him enticed Sage's eyes open after only a moment, and backtracking, Sage again traced Rowen's collarbones, pausing to possessively stroke his thumbs over the mark where they met, before continuing downwards. His hands roamed the sleek, supple expanse of Rowen's chest, a familiar sight, yet something his hands had never known. Hips rocking with his archer's restive movements, he smoothed his palms over the pebble hardness of nipples, his fingers over the flat abdominal plane, his hands up along Rowen's sides, tracing each rib, until he was in position to repeat the circuit.

Rowen's skin began to hum, his entire body an instrument for Sage to play. With each repetition of Sage's circular path over his torso, the thrum deep within him built in a crescendo. A maddening crescendo that never achieved fruition, since Sage never reached lower than his navel to grasp the hardness that was beginning to ache for him, since his lover moved with him, giving way before his searching upward thrusts instead of meeting them. Around and down. Always the same path. So much sensation, yet, even so, not quite enough.

Desperate frustration finally prompted action, and when Sage's hands paused at the top of his circle, Rowen grasped his lover's wrists with a low cry. Expecting the warmth of skin, his eyes flew wide at the rustle of silk, at a chill bite of metal on each his palms. His surprise piercing his passion and bringing him a small shred of control, Rowen released one of Sage's wrists so he could trace the gold cufflink that adorned the other. Quite troubled that their lovemaking had been so one-sided that Sage was not even undressed, he struggled to articulate his question. "Sa-, Sage. Why? You're not even-,"

"Shhh." Sage leaned down, silencing Rowen's husky whisper with a sweep of his tongue over his archer's lips. Hardly pausing, he moved to his right, brushing aside clinging strands of blue to reveal an alluring glint of emerald. "In time. I want to learn the feel of you first," he breathed before mouthing the tiny stud in Rowen's left ear, gently tugging on it before biting into the surrounding lobe.

"Ohh. Ah god. Sage!" Rowen clenched his eyes shut, gasping as Sage's teeth once more sent pleasure coursing through him.

Somehow, Sage again controlled the instinct singing through him, telling him to meet his archer's thrusts until they both were satisfied, and instead, freed his hair from the fingers twisting in it. Sliding back to straddle Rowen's thighs, he slowly, sensually, drew his hands over his lover's satin covered length, once, twice, but no more as he realized by the restless tossing of Rowen's head that further teasing would be more tormenting than pleasurable. Swiveling to kneel at his lover's side, Sage hooked his fingers beneath Rowen's thong, sliding the slippery bit of green cloth off over Rowen's hips and down his slender legs. Returning to his former position, he gazed with awe at the powerful beauty of the flesh that jutted proudly from amidst its nest of blue-tinged curls. This was his. This was meant for him.

Good god, *he* had caused this. A tiny, insidious thread of apprehension worming its way through his arousal and lodging in his heart, Sage dropped his hands to Rowen's hips instead of his erection. He had caused this, and if he continued, it would link him forever to his blue-haired archer friend. The fortress of his heart would be irreparably breached; the solitude that had always sustained him would be forever shattered. All that he was, all that he had ever been, would be irrevocably lost to him. He had wanted this; had believed he wanted this intimacy... but did he? How could he function if every foundation that had ever supported him was knocked from beneath him?

Too much! Not enough! Rowen lost himself in pure, mindless sensation as Sage raked his fingers the length of his cloth covered cock. He only returned when the cool air displaced by his lover's movement as Sage again straddled him swished against his heated flesh. Strong, slender hands rose, stood poised, and, breath catching, Rowen closed his eyes in anticipation of that so long desired touch. Something that was not *quite* alarm leeched through his arousal, dragging his eyes open again, as that touch never came. Understanding smoothed the sick knot that had began to form in his stomach as he watched indecision and uncertainty chase each other in the eyes of the man frozen atop him.

Rowen had always believed that he knew his cool, aloof swordsman friend as no other did, believed that more firmly than ever in light of the truths they had shared just a short while ago. He knew that Sage desired him, desired a life *with* him. He knew why Sage hesitated. "Sage." When the pale blue gaze of his love finally focused on him, Rowen held it for a timeless moment, then held up one hand and softly smiled. "I do love you."

I. Do. Love. You. With a low cry, Sage twined his fingers with Rowen's, bearing his lover's hand down with him as he fell forward. Desperate doubt was beaten back, unable to withstand the force of Rowen's confident reassurance. 'I do love you.' Those words summed up the only thing that was important. They were enough. He did want this, and he did love Rowen. If his familiar foundations crumbled to dust as a result of this joining, then so be it. He could learn to live with a heart that was no fortress; he could learn to be sustained by that love instead of solitude. Never alone, perhaps, but no longer lonely. New foundations could be set in place; the first one would be Rowen himself.

With one last, lingering kiss, Sage sat back, intently studying his love's face as he reverently grasped Rowen's penis. For him. His. Sage dropped his gaze to the unflagging hardness enclosed in his fist, firmly pumping once, then again, slowly smiling at the sharp hiss of air that whistled in between his archer's clenched teeth. Judging by that response, and by the long, drawn out sigh of a moan that Rowen released when he continued to pump, his lover was still very much on the edge in spite of his hesitation. It wouldn't take much to push him over.

Giving way before the increasingly purposeful thrusts beneath him, Sage swung over and down to rest on his elbow at Rowen's side, freeing the archer's hips of his weight. He slid his palm up to gather the moisture leaking from his lover's penis, spreading it, easing his motion. He ignored the fingers that twisted almost painfully in the hair at the back of his head, disregarded the temptation of the nipple that rose and fell so tantalizingly near his mouth with each heave of Rowen's chest. So close. So close, and he needed to see the evidence of his partner's pleasure this first time. Again, and again, and again. Sage timed his movements to Rowen's thrusts, his own arousal increasing in proportion with his love's, until his trousers, which had once hung loosely on his hips, felt about two sizes too small. Building. Closer. Yes! With a final, low cry, Rowen stiffened, peaked, and glistening whiteness flowed beneath and between Sage's fingers. He continued to slowly pump, fascinated with his lover's response to him, fascinated that Rowen's erection did not fade, but only diminished slightly.

Rowen opened his eyes as his arousal ebbed to witness the last bit of white light fade from around the blond head beneath his hand. Perhaps it was simply the afterglow of release, of being gifted with a satisfaction never before achieved either with another partner or on his own. Perhaps it was the halo for which his love's armor was named. Perhaps in the wake of a really mind-numbing orgasm, his brain had melted and he was imagining things. Smiling at his own silliness, Rowen tugged gently at Sage's hair, all too aware of the fact that while he had been pleasured to within an inch of his life, his partner had not been and was still completely dressed no less. At his lover's lack of response, Rowen tugged again, murmuring, "Hey, you still with m-," He broke off with a gasp when, instead of raising his head, Sage leaned down to nip at his nearest nipple, sending a jolt of pleasure rippling through him, bringing a surge of renewed hardness to the flesh that Sage still lazily manipulated.

Not done yet. Good. Pleased, Sage noted that the flesh he was stroking had firmed until its rigidity nearly matched that of the nub he held between his teeth. Very good, indeed, for Sage was far from finished with his partner. With a last flick of his tongue, he released Rowen's nipple, raising his head to meet his archer's hazy gaze with a smile. "I'm still very much with you, Rowen." He watched Rowen's eyes sharpen at his soft affirmation, but didn't know what that meant until his partner moved, and by then it was too late.

With me, huh? You'd better be, because enough is enough already. Rowen rolled his love over onto his back, and, heedless of the messy remains of his release, pressed his entire length against Sage. Lowering his head until their foreheads touched, he flicked his lover's nose with his tongue, then whispered, "This is a good thing. I know you said you wanted to learn the feel of me, Sage, but don't you think that would be easier if you lost the clothes?"

Sage closed his eyes with a soft groan, surrendering his lips to those which leaned down to claim them. Rowen might just have a very good point. He was beginning to feel as much on edge as his lover had before, and he didn't know how much longer he had before his desire would consume the remaining shreds of his control. He reached up to grasp Rowen's hips, pulling them down to meet the upward rise of his own.

Resisting the pressure on his hips, Rowen rose to his knees. Shaking his head slightly, he murmured, "Not this way, Sage."

"This way?" As if his lover's words were in a different language, Sage struggled for understanding through the waves of sensation cresting over his body.

"Not like this." Cupping his lover's cheeks, Rowen elaborated, "I want you to make love to me."

"You want me to-," Eyes widening as comprehension penetrated the fog shrouding his mind, Sage slowly shook his head. As much as he wanted to, as much as very the idea sent a tracery of fire racing along every nerve ending, he couldn't. They didn't have the necessary supplies, and without them, there would be pain. Covering one of the hands on his cheeks, he murmured, "Rowen, we can't. Neither one of us is prepared for that tonight."

"So, prepare me." Rowen smiled slowly, grinding his hips against his love's in a slow, suggestive circle.

"Rowen, you know what I mean! I will *not* hurt you!"

"I want this, Sage. I need to learn the feel of *you*." Rowen leaned down to suck the frown off his lover's lips, stopping only at Sage's low moan. "We're resourceful, Sage. Intelligent. We're Ronin Warriors. We've kicked the collective asses of numerous bad guys. We've saved the world. I think we can come up with *something* to use for lubrication." When Sage's eyes finally focused on him again, he arched one brow and suggested, "Why don't we check out your overnight bag. You only stuffed it with the entire contents of our freaking bathroom before leaving tonight. There's got to be something in-," Rowen broke off with a yelp. Sitting back on Sage's thighs, he rubbed at the sting his love's hand had left on his rear. "Spanking me won't make it not true, you know," he admonished, though his smugness quickly diminished when he suddenly found himself wrapped firmly in Sage's arms being soundly kissed.

"I can spank you later, Ro," Sage promised with a smirk as Rowen's eyes opened wide. "Lord knows you deserve it. But right now, I thought we were going to go look for some lube."

"G'night, Mia. Ryo." Kento paused for just a moment, then added with an over-exaggerated leer, "Don't do anything *I* wouldn't do!"

Ryo rolled his eyes and muttered disgustedly, "Impossible."

Sai smiled slightly at his friends' banter, then added his own wishes for the well being of the two he and Kento were leaving. "Good night both of you. Sleep well."

"Hah! Think they're going to be sleeping?"

"Kento!"

"Aw, Mia, you're blushing!"

"Kento, remember what I said I'd do with that tongue of yours if you don't watch it!"

"Ohhh, I'm *sooo* scared," Kento mumbled around the tongue that was hanging out of his mouth.

"Impossible," Ryo repeated, shaking his head. Turning to Sai, he suggested, "Why don't you go get a leash and put him to bed. Keep him there. Tie him, if necessary. I *reaally* think he needs to sleep before he becomes an honest to god threat to society."

As Ryo's innocent tease kindling an all too real warmth in the pit of his stomach, Sai's vision faded. Hmmm, Kento tied to a bed? What potential that idea had. Too quickly, the warmth he was feeling soured and faded as Sai remembered that such an idea would never contain anything more than potential. He sighed regretfully as Ryo's door swung shut. He'd been down that road already with Kento not so long ago; however, the road to achieving his heart's desire had been completely blocked by an obstacle the size of Tokyo: Kento's monumental lack of interest in him. He had confessed how very much he wanted a more intimate relationship with his closest friend, and Kento had rebuffed him. He'd done it gently, and with a concern for his feelings that was quite out of character for such a tactless person, but Kento had made it perfectly clear that such a relationship would never happen. They had survived, he and Kento, their friendship intact, growing and deepening in spite of his failure, and that personal experience had been one thing that had prompted him to try and nudge Rowen and Sage together. He wanted those two to be happy. He wished for them the fullness, the richness, of love that he would never have for himself. There was no one besides Kento he longed for, and he had promised to never make any unwelcome advances on his friend ever again.

"Yo, Sai! Hello! Earth to Sai!"

Coming back to himself with a start, Sai realized that he had no idea how long he'd been staring blankly at the closed door to Ryo and Mia's room. "Sorry, Kento," he offered with a weak smile.

"You all right? You really spaced out there for a sec. Didn't even hear me the first gazillion times I called." Without waiting for a response, Kento put his arm around his slighter friend's shoulders and turned him towards their room. "C'mon. I think *you're* the one who needs to be put to bed."

Wish he meant that the way it sounded. And if wishes were fishes, I'd be up to my gills in fins. Sai firmly controlled the wistful urge to lean into Kento's side, knowing full well that his friend most certainly did *not* mean that the way it had sounded. Kento was concerned for him, would always be there for him, would always take care of him, and Sai loved him for that. But for all Kento's concern, there was still one thing he had to do before he could retire for the night. Abruptly stopping, Sai held out the black jacket that had been draped over his arm, already missing Kento's warmth as his friend traveled a pace beyond him before turning back. "I need to return this to Sage before going to sleep, Kento. You go ahead, and I'll meet you in our room in a few minutes."

"Sai, I *really* don't think that's such a good idea."

Though he wasn't entirely sure that it was such a good idea himself, Sai resisted the gentle tug on his sleeve that Kento used to try to draw him towards their room. "I have to Kento. This mess between them tonight was all my fault. I need to know that they're all right."

Kento shook his head, frowning. The last thing that Rowen or Sage needed at such a time was for Sai to drop into mother hen mode and go check up on them, yet the deep concern for all his friends' well being was such an integral part of Sai, that Kento couldn't fault him. He wouldn't, couldn't, order Sai not to go, but he could, and would, warn. "Sai, the way I see it, one of three likely scenarios is playin' in that room right now. One, they're sleeping, regardless of whether or not they settled the situation. Two, they didn't make up, and they're fighting. Three, they decided to stop dancing about each other and are now makin' like bunnies. Whatever the case, barging in there could be dangerous."

"Don't you think you're exaggerating just a tad?"

"Ummm, no. Not at all. You couldn't pay me enough to come between those two right now. Rowen's bad enough, but Sage is downright scary when he's mad. You're taking your life in your hands if you enter that room tonight."

"Oh, c'mon, Kento. It can't be as bad as all that!" Well, maybe it could, but Sai still felt that he had to go.

"I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?"

"Look, I just want to check on them, but if I hear anything like screams or moans, regardless of whether or not they're of pleasure or pain, then I won't knock. Will that satisfy you?"

"No, but I guess it'll have to do." Kento closed the distance between he and his friend and advised, "Just remember to dodge. We can't have you damaged now, can we?" He raised a hand to cup his friend's chin, rubbing his thumb over Sai's cheek. "Especially your pretty face." Without waiting for any reply, he spun on his heel and moved off down the hall, waving one hand over his shoulder. "Ja ne! Don't expect me to wait up for ya!"

Sai stood motionless in the middle of the dimly lit hall, staring after his friend and brushing the fingers of one hand over the cheek that Kento had caressed, completely at a loss for any rational explanation for Kento's action. If wishes were fishes... Sai dropped his hand and moved off in the opposite direction. Kento had made it eminently clear to him that he wasn't interested; he had to cease juxtaposing his desires onto his friend. Besides, he couldn't think about it right now. Not only would it eventually give him a headache or stomachache, he had a mission to carry out.

Nothing. Not a single thing. Sai couldn't hear *any* sound coming from the room that Rowen and Sage were supposedly sharing that night. Where were those much complained about paper thin hotel room walls when you needed them? Sai hesitated, his fist poised to strike, wondering whether or not he should knock again, since there'd been such a spectacular lack of response to his first try. While it was a good thing his friends weren't yelling at each other in anger, Sai still wished he knew what, if anything, was going on in there. Maybe the two *were* asleep. Then again, maybe they *had* been fighting, and had been kicked out of the hotel.

Clenching his other hand in frustrated indecision, Sai felt the edges of a hard... something, dig into his palm and fingers. Puzzled, he held up Sage's jacket, rummaging through its pockets until his fingers finally groped over what felt like a rectangular bit of plastic. Shaking his head at Sage's carelessness, Sai pulled out what he thought was one of his friend's credit cards, only to find it was the key to the room he stood before. Oh dear. Was Sage even in there? What if his friend had been unable to swallow his pride and ask for admittance? What if Sage had asked, but Rowen had refused to let him in? What if Sage, with nowhere else to go, was alone in the hotel's bar, or on his way home? What if, and Sai couldn't quite repress a shudder, what if Sage had sought that Mika person out and was even now in bed with *her*?

His imagination painting increasingly vivid pictures, Sai hesitated for just a moment longer, then resolutely slid the card into the door's lock. Even if Sage wasn't there, he still had to make sure Rowen was all right. Most likely he was, most likely he hadn't answered the door simply because he was, as Kento had suggested, asleep, but Sai still needed to make sure. If Rowen was asleep, he'd just slip over and tuck his archer friend in, then slip out again. If Rowen was awake, then perhaps he needed a friend to talk to right about now.

Sai pulled the key card out and slid it back into the pocket of Sage's jacket as he ever so quietly turned the door handle. Pushing the door open only wide enough to admit his slim body, Sai slipped into the room. Hugging the wall and feeling like some actor out of a bad spy flick, he peeked his head around the corner to see how Rowen fared. A dim lamp on the table in the opposite corner was the room's only source of light, but it was bright enough to clearly reveal that Rowen was by no means alone, and he was faring rather well indeed.

Oh. My. Eyes widening, Sai brought Sage's jacket up to his face and bit into it to stifle his cry. Good god, what had he walked into? Kento had been all too right, he should have just waited to see his friends in the morning.

Oh my goodness. Oh dear! A tiny, very distant part of Sai's mind was screaming at him that he should leave, that he had no right to see this, yet he found himself paralyzed, held spellbound and motionless, the bit of cloth he clutched to his face his only tenuous anchor to reality. He had seen his two friends move through every day life. He'd seen them dance. He'd seen them sparring and in actual battle. In every circumstance, in all ways, Rowen and Sage always moved with an easy, natural, inner elegance, yet never had Sai seen the two move in any way that came near to matching the sublime grace of this moment.

Two bodies intertwined, one golden, the other pale, yet both standing out in sharp relief against the glowing backdrop of the stark white sheets of the hotel bed. Rowen lay beneath Sage, his legs draped over the blond swordsman's arms, his head thrown back, his mouth slightly parted. Muscles rippled along Sage's side and flank with each slow, deliberate thrust he made. Muscles flexed and relaxed in response as Rowen moved with his lover, matching him movement for movement in a perfectly choreographed dance. Silence, intense, impregnated by the building power of the coming release, held the room apart, separate, as if Sai and the occupants of the bed were encased in a bubble that the sounds of the outside world could not breach.

A tiny cry, nothing more than a sighing groan, was the pinprick that burst the bubble, the trickle of water that ruptured the dam and allowed the flood waters to rage. Any sense of deliberation in Sage's movements fled as he reared back, as the pace of his thrusts quickened. The slender fingers of two hands intertwined, then lowered to jointly stroke the turgid flesh that had been trapped between the two straining bodies.

A tiny cry and the calm before the storm shattered. With a reality twisting wrench, Sai returned to himself, body tingling in the electrified atmosphere. Oh god, he had to get out of there. He *had* to. Immediately. Right *now*! *Without* being discovered. Oh god, they'd never forgive him this intrusion if he were discovered! He closed his eyes briefly, forcing a slow, deep breath, forcing his hands to release the cloth they'd been clutching, forcing a calm that would quell the rising tide of panic that threatened to engulf him. Scarcely daring to breath, Sai edged backwards, inching towards the door one painstakingly slow step at a time.

*Snick* The faint sound of the latch catching as Sai eased the door shut behind him was as loud as an explosion, was enough to overpower the throb of his heartbeat. He froze, expecting at any moment that the door handle would be wrenched from his grasp and he would be forced to confront his two furious friends. A minute passed. Another. Finally, one more. Slowly the adrenaline rush ebbed, and Sai slouched back into the support of the door, head back, eyes closed. Slowly, the adrenal rush of fear and panic faded, giving way to a burning arousal that left him aching instead. Aching with the knowledge that he had no one but himself he could turn to for relief. Ah, Kento, why can't you love me the way I so desperately want you to?

Shuddering arms finally giving way, Sage slid from Rowen, and rolled to his side so that his weight would not fall atop his lover. Tiny, explosive aftershocks still rocking his body, he groped blindly for Rowen's lips, sighing contentedly as he found them.

"Mmmmm, what was that for?" Rowen followed his lover's movement as Sage rolled onto his back, going up on one elbow. Slipping his free hand beneath the golden bangs that obscured his love's face, he gently lifted them away. The peace in his swordsman's face, in his smile, matched the peace in that sigh. It served to confirm the triumphant, satisfied sense of rightness that had been singing in him since they had shared their first tentative kiss, their first 'real' kiss.

What, indeed? Sage looked within, checking the fit of his emotions with the same meticulous care he'd use to check the fit of a new suit. Doubt, fear, discontent, that horrid 'out of place' feeling, all had vanished, unable to withstand the warmth of Rowen's smile. Rowen fit. He fit. Together. No alterations were necessary. "I'm very comfortably happy, Rowen."

With a low chuckle, Rowen bent and brushed his lips over those beneath him. "Comfortably happy, huh? That's got to be better than just plain, old happy, I bet."

"Quite a bit better."

"I'm happy, too." It was too much to hold within. Like a bird of prey taking to the sky, Rowen's elation surged, reaching out and sweeping Sage beneath its wings. He closed his eyes with a groan, as an answering passion swelled to meet him, to move around him and through him. And he knew. Knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Sage *was* happy, was jubilant, was content, was as whole as he. He was Sage, and Sage was him. They were joined. They were together. They just were.

Too fierce to sustain, the sense of joining faded, but did not disappear altogether. Rowen forced his eyes open, and gazed down at his love in foggy bewilderment. "What-," he croaked around a suddenly parched throat, "What was that?" Was? Not quite. There was a part of him that remained connected to Sage, and if he tried, Rowen found that through that connection, he could still sense the flow of his lover's emotions. "Let me rephrase that question," he murmured, still hoarse. "What *is* this? It's not gone."

Excitement. Confusion. Fascination. Awe. An instinctive need to understand, to solve the puzzle. It was all there for Sage to experience. All that, and more besides. Slowly smiling up into his love's eyes, Sage realized, there was no more fear in his lover than there was in himself. "I don't know, Rowen. Maybe it's our armors. Maybe they approve of our pairing."

"Think so?" It could be possible. There were still many aspects of their armor they knew little, if anything, about. Frowning slightly, Rowen asked, "So, what? Now we're empaths or something?"

"Don't know, and don't much care right now." Sage raised a hand and traced the wrinkle that had formed between Rowen's eyes. Though he was already sure of the answer, he asked anyway, "Do you mind?"

"Hm, no, but I'd-,"

"Just like to know why?"

"Gah! Now he's finishing my sentences!"

Softly laughing at Rowen's flair for the dramatic, Sage rose to his elbow as his love flopped onto his back and draped one forearm across his eyes. His laughter faded back into a sigh when two slender hands cupped his cheeks and drew his face down.

"The question is, do *you* mind?" All seriousness, Rowen stared into pale blue and awaited an answer.

Turning his head, Sage laid a kiss onto one of Rowen's palms, asking, "Don't you already know?"

"I need to hear it, Sage. It doesn't have to be often, but sometimes, I need to hear it." Rowen ran one thumb along Sage's cheekbone, then lowered it to trace the outline of his lips.

"I love you, Rowen. I do love you," Sage breathed into the lips parted beneath him before lowering his onto them.

fini

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